Tailgate cable failure may allow the tailgate to drop onto the rear bumper, increasing the risk of injury.
✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer
Ford is recalling certain 2026-2027 F-150, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles because the left-side tailgate cable may fail under heavy load conditions. This failure could allow the tailgate to drop onto the rear bumper, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will replace the defective cable free of charge once parts are available. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1770534-ford-f-350-sd-2026-recall-structure.
“Ford F-350 SD Recall: Tailgate Cable Failure Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated October 27, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1770534-ford-f-350-sd-2026-recall-structure. Based on NHTSA recall #26V689000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V689000).
Ford Motor Company recalled certain 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles due to a tailgate cable failure hazard, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on October 20, 2026. Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable free of charge.
How to tell if you have it
Ford F-150, 2026-2027
Ford F-250 SD, 2026
Ford F-350 SD, 2026
Ford F-450 SD, 2026
What to do
Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 14, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
The hazard
The left-side tailgate cable may fail under certain heavy load conditions, allowing the tailgate to drop onto the rear bumper and increasing the risk of injury.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Ford Motor Company has 644 other recalls on record since January 29, 2010. Other recent recalls include a Ford 2021 Bronco hard top roof detachment risk (October 27, 2026), an F-450 SD inaccurate speedometer crash risk (October 6, 2026), and an F-150 improperly secured front seats injury risk (October 6, 2026). NHTSA has received 12 owner complaints for the 2026 FORD F-150 with the latest on October 11, 2026, and 9 complaints for the 2026 FORD F-250 SD with the latest on September 15, 2026. Other recent recalls of similar products include a Ford F-650 SD liftgate falls risk (August 20, 2026), a Mack Pioneer and Anthem brake system failure risk (April 23, 2026), and a Peterbilt 520 steering loss of control risk (January 19, 2026).
How to tell if you have this one
Check if you own a 2026-2027 Ford F-150, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, or F-450 SD. You can verify if your specific vehicle is included by searching its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026.
Brand
Ford
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Wait for Notification
Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed on December 14, 2026.
Schedule Repair
Once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027, dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable free of charge.
January 2027
Contact Ford Support
Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for more information about recall number 26S78.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed December 14, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S78. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
GovInfoNow listed this recall 7 days after the agency date.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Added to GovInfoNow
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3.6:35b-a3b on October 27, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.